Menu on Passenger Trains

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Looking for some information on what types of food was served on board ACL/SAL Passenger Trains. Are there photocopies of menus available somewhere on the net?

Thanks John

-- John Buckley (dragondog@juno.com), May 08, 2002

Answers

I have a classic Seaboard Coast Line Menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner for when you were in the dining car on one of the great passenger trains that the SCL ran up until the creation of Amtrak. This one is a one of a kind collector's item. You should check out all the prices on the menu. They don't sound to bad and how much the sales tax was back then. It is a classic and I am always looking for almost any kind of Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, Seaboard Coast Line and of course Amtrak items for my collection railroadianna.

-- Bradford Paulson (bpaulson909@msn.com), October 27, 2002.

Well Harry, we always heard that you DID ride into Rocky Mount on a load of turnips!

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@aphsa.org), May 10, 2002.

John, one of the best books regarding meals in diners is: DINNER IN THE DINER: GREAT RAILROAD RECIPES OF ALL TIME. Will C. Hollister/hardcover/Pentex Media Group/1977. This book represents many famous roads such as ACL/SAL. Hope this helps.

Bob

-- Robert S. Lockhart (rsl@gel.com), May 10, 2002.


Hey I had to go to Ask Jeeves to find out what a capon is! Tastes just like chicken I'm sure!!

-- John Buckley (dragondog@juno.com), May 09, 2002.

During the era that the Florida Special carried a dome car south of Richmond, there was a very distinct entree on the dinner menu. The sophisticated New Yorker seated across from me ordered it."What's that?" He explained to me once what it was and after seeing my doubt, he assured me that's what he had ordered. He must have thought that I'd ridden into Rocky Mount in the back of a truckload of turnips. The entree was capon.

-- Harry Bundy (Y6B@aol.com), May 09, 2002.


There is an excellent book on railroad dining ,It is called Dining by Rail by James D Porterfield. It has receipes form most all railroads from the SAL there is peanut soup and Florida shrimp creole.there are also listings for the acl,southern andC&O. The C&O Historical society also publisced a reprinted of a C&O cookbook several years ago it may still be avaiable from them.Hope this can be of help

-- Alan Ashworth (Tarheelrrds@aol.com), May 09, 2002.

Thanks for all the responses, but I maybe should have been a bit more specific. I don't want to buy a menu to keep forever. I'm just doing a one time research project so I wanted to see a couple of menus just to see what sorts of meals the railroads prepared. If there was anything unique to the railroad or to a specific train that was only served on that train. Guess I'll keep looking. Again thats to all who took the time.

-- John Buckley (dragondog@juno.com), May 09, 2002.

Keep checking ebay. There are often old meuus at auction. Some have a photo that is clear enough to see the items and prices.

-- Jim Coviello (jcovi60516@aol.com), May 08, 2002.

I have a menu off the EVERGLADES and its pretty much the same thing we eat today.Striped bass w/mashed potatoes corn w/ green peppers w/ice ecream for dessert.

-- V.L.Lewis (TrkInsp5F33@aol.com), May 08, 2002.

Bill Griffin's book on the ACL has copies of some menus in his book on the ACL-the book is available from the Society. Check out the web site for publications.

-- Michael W. Savchak (Savchak@mnr.org), May 08, 2002.


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